Keywords

Emergency Procedures, Simulation, Human Behavior, PECS Models

Abstract

Safety in motorway tunnels has assumed even more
importance after some catastrophic accidents like the one
in Mont-Blanc tunnel in March, 24th
1999, where about
39 people died burnt in flames or intoxicated by the
smoke and several dozens were seriously injured. In
consideration to this, the authors propose the study of an
emergency procedure regarding a motorway tunnel
evacuation after an accident producing fire and high
density smoke.
A simulation model has been developed and shown using
Java™ Software, where the behavior of the people
escaping from the tunnel is modeled and studied in order
to assess the effectiveness of the emergency procedures,
signals and infrastructures (emergency exits, SOS
columns, etc.).
In order to take into account the most significant state
variables that could affect human behavior in this
particular situation, the model has been built considering
the main aspects of the PECS (Physical Emotional
Cognitive Social) reference models, in which physical,
emotional, cognitive and social factors have to be studied.
This case study is similar to Schmidt’s “Adam’s World”
[1] where Adam, a primitive man, has to cope with an
environment that presents some danger points to be
avoided and other points where to regain energy or, in this
case, to escape from.
This work is a natural evolution of Adam’s world because
social aspects - not present in Schmidt’s model because
Adam lives alone - play a great role.
After describing and analyzing the model and its results, a
section is dedicated to a graphical 3-D model, developed
in Blender™ and animated with Wolverine Software
Proof Animation™, which reproduces the effects of the
accident, with a particular focus on smoke behavior.